I pick A LOT. At least once a day. I know its the worst thing I could do for my skin, but I feel like nice skin is a hopless cause anyway that I might as well pick the puss off my face, right? I have mild/moderate acne with crater scars and lots of redness. Has anyone been able to clear their face by exercise, drinking water, and leaving their face alone? That's the method I'm trying this time.

I pick too. Blackheads though, not active pimples. Them I leave alone. It's a bad habit and I always regret it after a picking session, swearing to never do it again. My thinking is 'oh it's just a little blackhead, I can pop that right out no harm done'...wrong! So wrong. I ending up turning something barely visible and harmless into a gaping red hole in my face that needs ages to heal. Those suckers are just so persistent, but I am more, so it's a very bad combination. After my last session, about a week ago now I have made the firmest commitment thus far to never pick again.

I pick too. Blackheads though, not active pimples. Them I leave alone. It's a bad habit and I always regret it after a picking session, swearing to never do it again. My thinking is 'oh it's just a little blackhead, I can pop that right out no harm done'...wrong! So wrong. I ending up turning something barely visible and harmless into a gaping red hole in my face that needs ages to heal. Those suckers are just so persistent, but I am more, so it's a very bad combination. After my last session, about a week ago now I have made the firmest commitment thus far to never pick again.

Good luck with your no picking and the other lifestyle/diet changes )

Tell me about it!!! For as long as I've had acne I would sit down in front of the mirror and just pick every blackhead I could find. My pores are HUGE now and I have some funky lines when I furrow my brow from the ice pick scars. It has made only about a 20% difference for me but I made a pretty note on each of my mirrors to remind myself not to pick. Have you tried the 30 day no touching challenge? I discovered it tonight and I think I want to give it a go. I also had an idea - I don't know if you are a boy or girl but - to buy a fancy pair of gloves to feel dainty when my acne makes me feel like a monster and make it harder for me to claw into my skin. Blackheads are the devil.

Good luck to you as well!

Picking your acne may worsen the current ones, irritate the skin and such but it wouldn't cure the source problem. Focus on your diet instead.

Haha, yes, they are the devil! It so hard me to accept them just sitting there, making home in my face. And then when they don't budge it just irritates me further and then it's on. Lol. Me against blackhead.

Does the 30 day challenge include no touching of your face whatsoever or just no picking? Because I do need help with no touching as well. I'm forever running my finger across the surface of my skin feeling for bumps and rough bits.

I'm a guy so the glove suggestion gave me a funny visual but thanks anyway! The gloves wouldn't know gender am I though huh? Lol.

I wonder what happens to blackheads if you don't extract them? Does the skin just push then out eventually? Mine seem to want to stay put for life if I don't interfere that's what makes it so hard to not pick and touch.

Well the challenge depends, but for me I would definitely have to do one with no touching whatsoever. Its really hard to do since I'm working slumped on my laptop the majority of the day. Maybe I'll try moving to my desk and sitting on my hands when I'm not typing. argh...

I think blackheads that are left alone eventually shrink, but I have seen no proof of this. I know a few acne recoverers with no active acne but they still have visible blackheads. I don't know how bad your acne is but for me getting down to only blackheads is a big success! haha. I went to the derm last year for blackhead treatment and all I got was differin samples. I would look into laser treatments or something for my pores/blackheads when I am clear again. Not irritating them doesn't seem to make much of a difference for me at least.

Guys with acne like mine seem to have it a little easier since its less hormonal, maybe yours would visibly reduce in a few months if you didn't touch your face

diet should be high in Omega 3, like lots of salmon, tuna, etc. Plenty of water, and fresh vegetable juices, quality proteins, foods high in Zinc, Garlic and fresh vegetables. Fresh food and no sugar, processed wheat products or processed packaged foods.

a lot of people here eat like that and put their recipes in the recipe section on the top of this thread. its generally referred to the paleolithic diet, basically, no vegetable oils, no refined sugars, no processed foods, no legumes, no gluten/carbs in general...can eat veggies, fruits, nuts/seeds, meats, eggs, and i think milk and cheese is acceptable (as long as its organic grass fed cows, i think this is a grey area for paleo people though).

its funny how many people think diets are, they feel how restricted they are...news flash, go visit a country like in the pacific islands and eat like them...their diet consists of sea food, and whatever fruits/veggies grow on the islands...all fresh and all natural. its harder in the US to restrict because we are surrounded by crap junk processed food all the time, where ever you go, its there and easy to get...more so than good organic foods. its more or less a slight lifestyle change when you go on one of these diets. you start going to farmers markets, you start eating different...most people get more energy, and become more productive with their lives, not saying it will clear up your acne...but it will help in other areas other than the skin as well.

ugh who eats like that! do you know any cookbooks or places i could find a meal plan for that diet?

My diet is half wai and in a way it is Paleo-ish. Basically raw alkalizing, anti-inflammatory foods, fruits, vegetables, olive oils, and cooked meats (something I am still eating, but I don't break out from it).I am 90% clear actually, just hyper pigmentation marks and maybe little oiliness. I remember how terrible my acne was a year ago. On my neck, around my eyebrows (completely red and inflamed), and lots of blackheads on nose. All are gone, I no longer break out with cysts around my mouth or my chin anymore. It changed pretty fast.

ugh who eats like that! do you know any cookbooks or places i could find a meal plan for that diet?

My diet is half wai and in a way it is Paleo-ish. Basically raw alkalizing, anti-inflammatory foods, fruits, vegetables, olive oils, and cooked meats (something I am still eating, but I don't break out from it).I am 90% clear actually, just hyper pigmentation marks and maybe little oiliness. I remember how terrible my acne was a year ago. On my neck, around my eyebrows (completely red and inflamed), and lots of blackheads on nose. All are gone, I no longer break out with cysts around my mouth or my chin anymore. It changed pretty fast.

ugh who eats like that! do you know any cookbooks or places i could find a meal plan for that diet?

My diet is half wai and in a way it is Paleo-ish. Basically raw alkalizing, anti-inflammatory foods, fruits, vegetables, olive oils, and cooked meats (something I am still eating, but I don't break out from it).I am 90% clear actually, just hyper pigmentation marks and maybe little oiliness. I remember how terrible my acne was a year ago. On my neck, around my eyebrows (completely red and inflamed), and lots of blackheads on nose. All are gone, I no longer break out with cysts around my mouth or my chin anymore. It changed pretty fast.

what do you do to your skin externally?

I used to do lot of topical treatments like BP, salicylic acid, lemon juice, tea tree oil.. the list goes on. None really helps your skin, they may increase the drying rate but it wouldn't make the overall skin complexion healthy looking and is simply not a solution.

Right now, all I do is wash it with water, sometimes once a day only. Just water, don't use anything else.

Right now, all I do is wash it with water, sometimes once a day only. Just water, don't use anything else.

bing bing bing, we have a winner folks...good job...keep it up, i would also recommend allowing your skin to hydrate, soak your face in water one to two times a day, sometimes add in sea salt or epsom salt to clean those pores. dont physically touch or rub your skin, allow it to heal naturally, sounds like your acid mantle has come back and you are in the final stages of restoring your skins natural cycle (shedding that is).

ugh who eats like that! do you know any cookbooks or places i could find a meal plan for that diet?

My diet is half wai and in a way it is Paleo-ish. Basically raw alkalizing, anti-inflammatory foods, fruits, vegetables, olive oils, and cooked meats (something I am still eating, but I don't break out from it).I am 90% clear actually, just hyper pigmentation marks and maybe little oiliness. I remember how terrible my acne was a year ago. On my neck, around my eyebrows (completely red and inflamed), and lots of blackheads on nose. All are gone, I no longer break out with cysts around my mouth or my chin anymore. It changed pretty fast.

good for you! i'm really interested in clearing my skin with natural methodsjw...do you have any before and after pics from last year?after staying on this site for hours i have been taking the diet advice to heart

ugh who eats like that! do you know any cookbooks or places i could find a meal plan for that diet?

My diet is half wai and in a way it is Paleo-ish. Basically raw alkalizing, anti-inflammatory foods, fruits, vegetables, olive oils, and cooked meats (something I am still eating, but I don't break out from it).I am 90% clear actually, just hyper pigmentation marks and maybe little oiliness. I remember how terrible my acne was a year ago. On my neck, around my eyebrows (completely red and inflamed), and lots of blackheads on nose. All are gone, I no longer break out with cysts around my mouth or my chin anymore. It changed pretty fast.

good for you! i'm really interested in clearing my skin with natural methodsjw...do you have any before and after pics from last year?after staying on this site for hours i have been taking the diet advice to heart

Nah I don't have a picture, I don't take pictures of my face too often lol, but trust me I am not lying to you or anything. Acne sucks I know, and I simply wanted to end it quick and forever without going to derms (they know nothing) and this summer was the end of my acne, although I could still breakout if I eat lots of refined grains.

i have a gluten allergen, and although it never gave me acne (just sinuses) i find that most of the gluten free stuff does that as well. i find that i do not digest grains in general all that well. rice and potatoes and squash are a lot easier on my system and i can tolerate them, but i try to avoid them if i can help it.